eat.sleep.MAKE.

(Shan) WEARs: Purple & Black

2013-06-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to do more style posts lately, so I figured now was as good a time to start as any! Doing posts like this really help challenge my creativity with my wardrobe. I have a lot of clothes. A LOT. But, I tend to wear the same things over and over again. I'm really trying to break that habit! Once a week I try to wear something I haven't worn in more than 6 months.

Today, it was these shoes. I love these shoes! Why don't I wear them more? I have no idea.

I love the intricacy of the back of this top. It was what drew me to it. It's so fun and different!

Detes:
Top: ASTR via Nordstrom
Tank: Marshalls
Skirt: H&M
Scarf: American Apparel
Shoes: ShoeDazzle (a few years ago)
Bracelets: No idea!!

It's going to take some getting used to taking and posting photos of myself when it comes to outfits. It makes me feel narcissistic and I don't like that very much. I'm not doing this to show myself off, but to help inspire some fun and creativity in your own outfits! It's not hard to mix things up with what you already have... this can be an adventure we have together! xoxo

We Are Loving Right Now - Volume 7 (Jen's Obsessed Edition)

2013-06-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Running Zebras in Mint - Happy Scarf on Fab - This summery scarf would look awesome paired with some skinny jeans and kitten heels, don't you think?
Cantaloupe Bowls - Vegtetabowls on Etsy - These look so realistic! Also, I think eating cereal out of a bowl that looks like a cantaloupe would be pretty sweet.
Hanging Faceted Air Plant Holder - Janelle Gramling - I'm a sucker for air plants and succulents, and this geometric design is gorgeous!
Newtons Fruit Thins in Lemon Crisp - Nabisco - I'm completely addicted to these cookies ; and the lemon crisp ones are the absolute best. They have the texture of shortbread and a light, summery lemon flavor. I'll take several boxes please.
Teal Resin Rings with Copper Flakes - Diamblond on Etsy - I love the pop of metallic color that the flakes give these rings. They also come in gold and other color options.
Miraflores Post Earrings - Fab - Great colors, geometric, and post-style. Need I say more?
Linen Tank in Mountain Floral - Madewell - Floral is in, and this tank top is a fun way to show it off. Dress it down with jeans or dress it up with colored skinny pants and metallic jewelry.

These are just a few of my favorite things that I can't get enough of lately - especially the lemon Fruit Thins (look for a recipe coming up soon!) The days are long and most of our time is spent outdoors. In short, I'm loving summer already.

Here's to a fun-filled weekend, friends!

Metallic Checkered Planters at The Lovely Cupboard

2013-06-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hey friends, how are you surviving summer so far? I think school is out for most people by now, and my kids are already begging to be entertained every minute of the day (thank the good Lord for summer school!) My daughter seems to think that we are millionaires and can afford to go to the zoo, mall, and out to eat every day with each of her old classmates. I need to figure out a way to teach that girl that restaurants don't just hand out food for free if you ask nicely - which is what I spend half the day doing (growth spurt much?)

I'm so thankful to live in a city that has lots of activities for kids, so we have the zoo, strawberry picking (which we did recently - pics soon!), the pool, and tons of parks to go to. That should keep them entertained for a week or two ;) I'm just glad they still nap for me. How's a girl supposed to get anything done without nap time? I don't know how you nap-less parents do it. I think I may lose my sanity the day my daughter goes nap-free.

Anyways.

Here's a quick peek at some cute checkered planters I made to hold succulents and decorate my creative space. I ADORE succulents because I can't kill them! did I ever mention that I have a black thumb? True story.

Please tell me someone else has similarly bad luck with plants? I love the idea of having flowers, I just can't keep them alive. Maybe it's because I don't see the point in buying flowers because, while they're beautiful, they only last for a few short months. Now fruits and veggies are another story altogether because you can eat them. I did try to grow some cucumbers in 2011, but those turned out yellow and disgusting. Maybe I should stay away from fruits and veggies too...

You can find the full how-to for making these metallic planters over at The Lovely Cupboard today!

Color Me RAD 5k

2013-06-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

(Note: I wasn't compensated for writing this post, I just had a great time running this race!)

I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but one of my favorite hobbies (other than sewing and crafting like crazy) is running. I've been running since I was about 15 years old, and haven't stopped since - aside from a couple breaks for pregnancy. Even when I was pregnant, I ran until I was about 31 weeks (it wasn't pretty I'm sure. It was more like waddling near the end ;)

I'm not really a competitive person. I tried track for a whole week in high school before I decided that I didn't like other people telling me how fast to run. After that, I ran for me. I just love how strong I feel when I run, but mostly I just love being outdoors (I blame my dad for that.) But with all the running I've done, I had never formally entered a race until Shannon and I ran in the Pittsburgh 5k recently. It was a great feeling to run through my city and complete my first official 5k, although it was a little embarrassing to see how many 7-year-olds lapped me! After completing the race, I knew I wanted to try another, so when a friend suggested we run the Color Me Rad 5k, I was all in.

The Color Me Rad 5k is basically an untimed, all-for-fun kind of a race where people pelt you with colored powder as you run so that you end up looking like an art studio threw up on you by the end. When we registered, we got blue t-shirts, temporary tattoos, and some sweet 80's-style sunglasses. For the race itself though, we opted for all-white clothes to make sure we got covered in as much color as possible.

And of course I stole some of Shannon's neon nail polish to paint my nails for the race. Duh.

We started out all sparkly clean, but by the end....

We were completely covered in color! Here's a little before and after just for fun:

There were a few times I forgot to close my mouth and ended up with a generous coating of color on my teeth. If you run this race in your city, take it from me and try to keep your mouth shut :) I also kind of look like I have a goatee in this picture which (hopefully) isn't true in real life. We had the greatest time though and I'll definitely be going again next year! The only downside was that the path they chose for the race wove through a parking lot full of gravel, so we did a lot of tripping and stumbling until about 1/2 way through when it turned to pavement. Hopefully the location will be a little better next year.

Has anyone else ever run the Color Me Rad 5k or any of the other color races?

MAKE: DIY Leather Bar Bracelet

2013-06-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

I wear a ridiculous amount of bracelets. I have bracelets for every outfit and every occasion. But, for some reason, I never seem to have enough black and gold for the arm parties I frequently throw. I needed something quick and versatile so I threw this little baby together using a brass tube from the hardware store and some braided leather... and nothing else!

Supplies: Braided Leather Cord - 16 inches, 3/16 Brass Square Tube - 2 1/4 inches, Wire Cutters and Pliers.

I wanted it to look unique, so I cut the tube longer than you normally would for something setting on your wrist.

You can use wire cutters to cute the tube. It gives the end a pinched off look. Just open it back up with some pliers. Pinch off the opposite end as well to make sure they both have the same affect.

Slide the tube on the leather cord, then tie the ends of the cord to the opposite side of the cord, so you get a sliding knot affect. The knots should be able to slide to the ends of the tube, giving the image of a double corded bracelet.

Ta-da! It's done! I love the industrial look of this. It's such a contrast to the feminine clothing I wear.

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

Bombshell Bootcamp & A Bad Lip Reading

2013-06-07T08:38:00.000-04:00

It's Friday! This has been an exceptionally awful week for me. Work has been insane, my coffee literally exploded all over my face one morning before work AT the coffee shop, and I got tendinitis in my Achilles heel. However, I did get to participate in the Bombshell Bootcamp at work... it kicked my butt, but it was amazing!! Carrie, our instructor, was so motivational. She had the whole class shouting and pumped up even though we were all on the brink of death. Let me tell you, my butt is feeling it today!

Now, since I had a such a crappy week otherwise, I decided I'd share something that makes me laugh. A LOT. If you haven't see this yet, then it's you're lucky day. If you have seen it already, watch it again... it's just as hilarious as the first time. Brace yourself, friends, for "THE NFL: A Bad Lip Reading".

We hope you guys have an awesome weekend! Get out there and doing something active! That's what spring is all about!! xoxo

FOOD: S'mores Ice Cream Sandwiches

2013-06-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

I have a problem: I'm addicted to s'mores. Those gooey little desserts just scream "summer" to me and when warm weather rolls around, I can't get enough. There's an art to a good s'more, and it has a lot to do with getting that marshmallow juuuuuust right. It seems people are in one of 2 categories: they either cook it nice and slow over the coals to get that perfect brown color, or they stick that sucker straight into the flames to burn it to a crisp. I'm part of the first group myself, and after I've downed a s'more or ~~sixteen~~ two, I'm perfectly happy to sit there and fill any remaining stomach space with perfectly browned marshmallows.

While I would love to roast marshmallows every day, building a fire daily with the sole purpose of making s'mores is a tiny bit impractical. There's also the fact that sixteen s'mores per day is probably not the best idea for my diet. While I was thinking about a way to get my s'more fix without the fire, I came up with the idea to make s'mores ice cream sandwiches! Ice cream is another obsession of mine, so I've now combined my obsession with s'mores with my obsession for ice cream and made one heavenly dessert. YOLO, am I right?

That was weird, I never say that. That's probably the 16 s'mores talking. Let's make ice cream sandwiches.

SUPPLIES: 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff, 1 1/2 quarts softened vanilla ice cream, mini chocolate chips, graham crackers, long reach lighter or pastry torch, wax paper for wrapping, 3 qt. glass baking dish.

ONE: first, measure out your fluff into a small bowl. I unfortunately don't own a pastry torch, but that would be ideal for this. A long reach lighter (like the kind used to light fires) will work in a pinch. Brown/blacken the top of your marshmallow fluff. This will give your ice cream sandwiches that roasty, toasty s'more flavor!
TWO: using a spoon, gently mix your fluff into your ice cream. I tried using a mixer, but it mixes way too much air into the ice cream. Stick with the spoon method.
THREE: line your baking dish with wax paper. Pour your ice cream mixture in your lined dish and smooth down (this will help you cut your ice cream into squares much easier.) Place in the freezer overnight or until set.

After your ice cream has set, cut into squares and sandwich between two graham crackers, then roll the sides in mini chocolate chips. Wrap individually in wax paper and freeze.

These are great for summer because they have all the yumminess of s'mores with the added coolness from the ice cream. And then there's the crunch of the chocolate chips.

Don't even get me started. Take it from me and go make some.

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

Shannon's Vanity & Glass Paint!

2013-06-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we hit some estate sales and I scored these 2 awesome porcelain trays. I immediately knew they'd be perfect to use my Martha Stewart glass paints on. I decided to use one for my vanity to keep organized. I wanted to put words on it that would be a constant reminder of something I strive for every day, inside and out, beauty and grace. It's simple enough, but the 2 words on this tray seem to smack you in the face when you look at it. I like that.

This really isn't a tutorial as much as it is show and tell. I love the extra flare this tray gives my vanity.

I also painted the bowl with the Martha Stewart paints. Can you tell I love them?? They're so easy to use! I hope everyone had an awesome weekend! Mine was exhausting, but so productive! I'm actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow so I can chill a bit!

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

Now Contributing....

2013-05-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

...to The Sewing Rabbit!! Jess at Me Sew Crazy reached out to Shannon and I recently and asked if we'd like to become monthly contributors, and after about 2 seconds of consideration, we said a big giant YES! We love Jess and her blog, and couldn't be more thrilled to be working alongside the awesome Sewing Rabbit team that Jess just announced this morning.

If you recall, we're also contributing to another of our favorite blogs, The Lovely Cupboard. We love both of these girls, and are so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such fantastic blogs. So what can you expect? Well, Shannon and I think you can't get too much of a good thing, so we'll still be keeping up regularly with Eat. Sleep. Make., but now you'll also get to visit us at Me Sew Crazy and get bonus sewing tutorials each month. Yay!

If you're new here and you're wondering, "Who the heck are these people?" you can learn more about Shannon and I here. You can also check out some of our favorite projects below, or take a peek at our craft, food, and party tabs for more crafty goodness.

1. Flutter Tee 2. Gem Earrings 3. Faux Stamped Necklaces 4. Rose Trim Shirt

5. Snowy Road Fudge 6. Earbud Makeover

Meet Beatrix!

2013-05-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have a new lady in my life and her name is Beatrix, or Bea for short. She is my new Dritz Twin Fit dress form, courtesy of Shannon and my brother-in-law! I have been hunting for a good dress form at every estate sale we visit and I finally found one this past weekend.

The lady who owned her had an amazing sewing room FULL of fabric, notions, and a giant quilting machine in the middle of the room. I could tell by her collection that she really loved to sew, and must have made a living selling some of her work. She she had a little of everything, and I had to take some deep breaths to keep myself from buying all of it. While I was gleefully digging through all the goodies (I snapped up some denim, sweatshirt fleece, and the unicorn ribbon I posted on Facebook) I spotted her in the corner. An adjustable dress form in really good condition, and a size small. It was meant to be.

Shannon is such a thoughtful SIL and got her for me for Christmas. I was so giddy I don't think I shut up about it the entire way home.

Shannon got to name her since she got her for me, so Beatrix it is! I think it's a pretty appropriate name for a dress form, don't you?

She's completely adjustable, which is great because I'm sure I won't be getting any smaller anytime soon :) We found her at the perfect time becuase I've been trying to sew more things for myself lately which has been a lot trial and error because I don't usually sew anything bigger than a 4T. When making clothes for myself, the pattern peices look disproportionate and HUGE compared to the tiny bodices of a 4T.

I actually went to sew Shannon a Flutter Tee recently and ended up sewing her a muu muu because I added wayyyyy too much width to the pattern. Hopefully Bea will keep that from happening again. Either that, or Shannon needs to start really liking muu muus.

CRAFT: Kid's Arrow Flutter Tee + FREE Pattern

2013-05-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Memorial Day, and thank you to all the men and women who serve/have served our country! I hope your day is full of BBQ and time spent with loved ones :) We're celebrating my husband's big 3-0 today, so my day is pretty much full of junk food and cookie cake. Sounds like a pretty good Memorial Day to me! Even though it's a holiday, I still wanted to share a fun tutorial with you (since maybe you'll want to slip in some blog reading while you're recovering from all the delicious BBQ food :)

Did anyone notice that Haley is sporting a mini flutter tee in the Riding Pants post? After I got finished making the gray riding pants, I decided that Haley needed a shirt that would go perfectly with it, so why not a mini Flutter Tee with a southwestern vibe? I used fabric transfer paper for the arrows and you guys....I'm hooked. Why haven't I tried using transfer paper sooner? It's fun stuff.

I'm a little obsessed with the Flutter Tee pattern. It's just so comfy and flowy! And with the addition of a custom design, this shirt is quickly becoming my favorite shirt of Haley's right now. Oh, and I also included a free downloadable kid's flutter tee pattern in 4T for you so you can make one too!

SUPPLIES: Kids Flutter Tee pattern in 4T (download HERE), knit fabric (approximately 1 yard, or do what I did and cut up an old men's t-shirt), fabric transfer paper, printer and ink, an image that you like, iron, sewing machine and basic supplies.

ONE: you can print out and piece together the free Kids Flutter Tee pattern in 4T HERE. If you need another size, follow the basic instructions on the Flutter Tee tutorial to draft your pattern.
TWO: if you're cutting up an old shirt like I did, just place your pattern on the fold of the shirt like shown in the pictures above (cut off and save part of the bottom hem of the shirt for the neckline to save some time!)
THREE: find an image that you want and follow the instructions on your fabric transfer paper to transfer your image to the paper. Make sure to cut out as much of the white space as you can (I used my Silhouette Cameo for this, but you can easily cut out your image by hand.)
FOUR: transfer your image to the front of your shirt, then follow the instructions for the Flutter Tee tutorial to assemble your shirt.

I hope you enjoy the pattern! It's perfect for the hot summer days ahead.

Have a happy Memorial Day everyone!

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

A Winner and a New Pinterest Board

2013-05-24T13:33:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone, you made it to Friday! There are just some weeks when you look forward to the weekend more than others and for me, this was one of those weeks! We had one sick kiddo and some rain that kept us indoors. Now that school is out, that's a recipe for disaster! Thankfully, everyone is feeling better and we're looking forward to spending time with family on Memorial Day.

Have you been enjoying our 'We Are Loving Right Now' posts? Shannon and I have been having a lot of fun compiling all of our favorite things and sharing them with you each week! If you already follow us on Pinterest, you may have noticed that we recently made a board dedicated to the things we post in our "We Are Loving Right Now" posts!

You can find that board HERE (and if you don't follow us on Pinterest yet, go do it :) We'll be pinning all the things we include in the weekly "We Are Loving" posts to that board so that it'll be a little easier for you to find the things we've posted about now that they will all be in one convenient place.

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Now onto our giveaway winner! Thanks to everyone who entered, and thanks especially to our sponsor, Southern Fabric, who is providing the credit to buy some gorgeous fabrics in their online store.

And, by the way, there's a SWEET Memorial Day sale going on at Southern Fabric through the 31st! They have some great new arrivals you should definitely check out.

And the winner of the $25 credit to Southern Fabric is...............

#121, Beth F! Congrats! The winner has been emailed.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Thank You for Helping Me Grow Printables (Teacher Gift)

2013-05-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

School is winding down for most of us, and maybe some of your kiddos are already out. With preschool being a new venture for me, I tend to forget about things like bringing snacks on my snack day and buying teacher gifts on holidays. Luckily, my MIL is a teacher, so she periodically reminds me about these things :)

I know that many teachers tend to get food gifts - and hey, don't get me wrong, I love getting 5 pounds of chocolate as much as the next girl - but I'm sure all the chocolate can be a little overwhelming at times. Not that I know, I "helped" finish my kids' Halloween candy within the month, and there's definitely no leftover Easter candy.

I'm just living for the next holiday people.

With that in mind, I decided to give a non-food gift, and instead came up with this cute printable to add to some potted flowers that says, "Thank you for helping me GROW!" Corny? Maybe, but I love it and I hope they will too!

I just love these flowers. I have no idea what kind they are (anyone else know??) but they remind me of something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

If you want to do something similar for your child's teachers, you can download my free printables by clicking HERE .

To attach the tag, all I did was punch a couple of holes in the side and string some baker's twine through the holes.

If you're not into the large potted plants, I also made a smaller tag for individual potted plants. I hot glued the tag onto a paper straw and tied some ribbon on. Voila!

Both versions of the tag are available in the download. Have fun making gifts for your favorite teachers!

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

An Anywhere Dress

2013-05-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've been looking for a simple, versatile dress for my daughter that doesn't take me hours and hours to sew (I don't know what I'm going to do when my kids give up napping), so when Andrea of The Train to Crazy and Go To Patterns offered to let me try out The Anywhere Dress, I jumped at the chance.

The Anywhere Dress is one of my new favorite go-to dresses for Haley. There are several different options for sleeve length, which makes it perfect for all seasons, plus it has a fully faced neckline so I didn't have to bother with hemming the neckline (yay for laziness!) This was such a quick sew too, and you know I love that. Since this dress is so simple, there's also a lot of room for creative variations. A ruffled bodice, maybe? Color blocking? Oh the possibilities!

I decided to jazz it up a little and add a sash. I simply cut a long strip of black knit fabric and tied it around her waist. I think it dresses it up a little bit.

I actually had plans to use this polka dot fabric for me, but I gave in and let Haley have it for this dress. Oh the things we do for our children :) I think she looks way cuter in polka dots than I do anyway, plus I have some left over, so maybe I'll get around to making myself something one of these days.

She loves her new dress, and so do I! Haley's at the age when she actually appreciates the things I make for her now. When I showed her this dress she asked, "Mommy, did you make it for me?" After I told her yes, she gave it a big hug and asked to wear it right away. Hopefully she feels the same way when she's a teenager!

Photo shoots, on the other hand, are still not her favorite. I'm working on that.

To get your own Anywhere Dress, go HERE.

Lights, Camera, Giveaway!

2013-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

That's right, we've got another giveaway!! Our awesome sponsor, Southern Fabric, loves you all so so much that they've decided to give you another chance to get some free fabric! Cue the applause! I'm on a purple kick lately, so I searched through all the amazing digital swatches and found some that satisfy my purple craving. And grey just goes so perfectly with purple.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

To win a $25 certificate towards some amazing fabric, enter our giveaway using the widget below. The winner will be announced here on ESM on Friday May 24th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We Are Loving Right Now - Volume 6 (Mint Madness Edition)

2013-05-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Seaside Blouse - Anthropologie -I love how flowy and springy this blouse is! With 2 kids, I'm all about comfort - and this blouse fits the bill.
Clover Pant Pattern - Colette Patterns - I love my skinny pants and need this pattern to make some mint ones ASAP.
Terrerium Pendant Necklace - Yellow Owl Workshop for Leif - I'm obsessed with terrariums, and I'd love to add this pretty necklace to my collection.
Marvis Strong Mint Toothpaste - Marvis - This is actually one of the products I sampled recently in my Birchbox. The flavor is wonderfully minty without being too strong.
Revitalizing Eye Roll-On - Simple - This is my new go-to product in the morning when I have puffy, tired eyes. This little roll-on goes on smooth with a cool finish to relieve puffiness and help me feel more revitalized in the morning.
Spring House Fabric - Stephanie Ryan for Moda- I would love to make a dress out of this pretty fabric!

While I was putting together my post yesterday, I realized most of the things I chose had one thing in common - mint! - so I ran with it :) I guess spring has given me mint fever. I just love the color; it's so cool and refreshing!

We've been spending lots of time outdoors enjoying the spring weather (which is something I wasn't able to do as much when we lived in Memphis) but I know that summer is right around the corner. School is ending for my daughter, and I'm trying not to think about what I'm going to do with two very active children under 5 all summer. Yikes.

Happy Friday everyone! We have a few fun festivals we plan on attending with the kids this weekend (and maybe we'll squeeze in some estate saling too.) Hope yours is fabulous as well!

Some Riding Pants

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

Can I just say that I love the blogging community? There are just so many wonderful, supportive people out there (including our wonderful readers, we love reading your emails and comments!) Ever since I started writing about 5 years ago, I've been lucky to "meet" some truly nice people who leave sweet comments, give me blogging advice or simply just send an encouraging email. Jess at Me Sew Crazy is one of those wonderful people. I was thrilled to open my email last month and see an email from her with her Riding Pants pattern attached! I just love all of her patterns (I'm still itching to make her Forget Me Knot Dress for Haley.) We had quite the busy month last month with Made It for Me that I wasn't able to post them sooner, but better late than never, right?

Haley's favorite pants are leggings (or "soft pants" as she calls them.) I don't know what your stance is on whether or not leggings should be worn as pants, but Haley is obviously in the "I'll wear them however I want" category. She was only too happy to have a few new pairs of leggings!

I really wanted to use up more of my leather stash so for the first pair of Riding Pants, I decided to make some simple gray ones with leather patches on the inside. I love how they turned out! The steps to make the pants were really easy to follow - and I even learned how to make my first faux fly. I'm addicted; I want to make all my daughter's leggings with a faux fly now! They just give the pants more of a "finished" look.

And the button placket down each side is adorable!

Of course, being the girly girl that Haley is, she insisted on wearing her sparkly TOMS.

After making the first pair (which I totally tailored toward my own taste), I decided to make Haley a pair that was more her style - and that means lots and lots of pink. I'm loving all of the floral printed jeans and pants out there this spring, so I dug into my stash and made her this cute pink polka dot version with floral patches. (In case you're wondering, I got both the knit and cotton fabrics from Walmart, and the gray knit from the pair above from JoAnn's.)

I didn't get a close up of the buttons on this pair, but I used little flower buttons on the side placket. These are SO girly, and definitely Haley's favorite.

You can get the digital pattern for The Riding Pants HERE in sizes 18mos-8 years. I know I'll be using this pattern to make plenty more in the future!

MAKE: Snaz Up Boring Matting w/ Hand Carved Stamps

2013-05-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

So, I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets bored with plain matting around my photos/art. I did a little tutorial here on making your own wooden matting. This little fix is soooo much less time consuming, though! You don't even need the fancy shmancy stamp carving tools. You could just use a craft knife if that's what you have.

You can buy these big blocks/sheets of rubber for carving stamps at most craft stores. Oh the possibilities! I carved a simple geometric design for mine and I've actually used it SO many times. Hand carved stamps are a great way to dress up boring gift bags and wrapping paper, place cards or stationary... seriously, so much can be done! This particular time, I decided to dress up some plain white matting... just to give it that extra oomph. I'm loving the results and the fact that it only took 5 minutes to do! This is in my upstairs hallway. I think spaces like this so often get overlooked in the decorating process, but if you really think about it... so many people see and move through this space, so having something brilliant to catch their eye is never a bad idea!

Check out our link party page to see where we link up each week!

WE Make: Flutter Tee

2013-05-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Shannon and I shared this shirt several weeks ago on Me Sew Crazy. We had such a great time collaborating on a project together, that we decided to make it an ongoing series called "We Make!" The series has no real schedule, rather it will just be posts here and there with projects that both Shannon and I have worked on together.

There's something really fun and challenging about working with another creative person to finish a project! Between the two of us, Shannon and I have a variety of strengths and tastes. This shirt was a great way to combine a love of mine (sewing) with one of Shannon's (art.) And what a great outcome! Every time I wear this shirt, I think about how cool it is that I'm wearing a piece of Shannon's art :)

This shirt is really comfy and flowy and can be made with or without decoration - go nuts!

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What you will need:

2 yards knit fabric (interlock is best for this project, but you could use jersey as long as it's not too thin)

Rotary cutter and mat

Iron and ironing board

Sewing machine and basic sewing supplies (ballpoint needle is highly recommended for this project since you'll be sewing with knits.)

Chisel tip paint brush

Jacquard Textile Color in black (or in any color you choose)

1. First, take a longer shirt that fits you well (not snugly) and tuck the sleeves inside of the shirt. Place it on the edge of your tracing paper. I like to use freezer paper but any large tracing paper or wrapping paper work well too.

2. Add 1/2 inches for seam allowance, and trace around the neck and armhole of your shirt. Stop tracing just below the armhole.

3. Draw a straight line 1/2 inch below the bottom of your shirt and extend it roughly 4 inches beyond the edge of your shirt.

4. Starting at the armhole, draw a slightly curved line away from your shirt as shown in the picture above. Stop a little below halfway down your shirt, then draw a line down to meet the line you drew at the bottom.

5. Here is what your pattern should look like so far!

6. Now to create the curve in the front, draw a curve from the bottom to the side of your pattern as shown in the picture above.

7. First, make sure your fabric stretches sideways when you pull it. Then, with your fabric folded right sides together, place your pattern on top of your fabric and cut on the fold. This is the back of your shirt. Repeat this same process for the front of your shirt, but cut the neckline lower. Also cut a piece of fabric 22 inches long and 1 inch wide on the bias for your neck binding.

8. You should now have 3 pieces of fabric: a front piece, a back piece, and binding for the neck.

9. Place your front piece and your back piece right sides together and match up the shoulders. Sew one of the shoulders together and open back up.

10. Fold your binding in half, wrong sides together, and iron.

11. With the right side of your shirt facing up, match the raw edge of your binding to the raw edge of the neckline and pin all the way around the neckline. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew along the neckline to attach. Press.

12. Place your shirt right sides together again and sew the other shoulder closed. Now hem your armholes by folding the raw edge 1/4 inch, ironing, then folding another 1/4 inch and ironing again. Pin and sew. Repeat for other armhole.

13. Right sides together, pin from each armhole to the corner of the shirt only as shown above. Sew each side closed where pinned.

14. Turn inside out and press (because I totally did, cough cough :)

And now this gets passed onto Shannon!

So, this is where I come in.. adding a little flair to this shirt (which I love and have demanded that Jen make me one, too!)

15. I clipped the shirt to a drawing board to keep the fabric taut while I painted.

16. I used Jacquard Textile Color in black and a chisel tip paint brush to paint a geometric design. Make sure to put a piece of paper inside the shirt under where you are painting to prevent any paint from seeping through to the back. Once the paint dries, you iron the backside of it to heatset the paint ont he fabric.

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

We Are Loving Right Now - Volume 5 (The Run For Your Life Edition)

2013-05-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

As I'm sure all of you know, Jen and I ran the 5K in the Pittsburgh Marathon last weekend. I decided to do this round up of stuff that are my running & workout essentials.

1 - Penny Black by Further Seems Forever * This band was my absolute favorite and broke up in 2006. I just recently discovered they reunited with the original group and released this album in late 2012. It does not disappoint!
2 - Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner * This stuff is seriously invincible. If you are like me and can't stand to be without makeup even when you are dripping with sweat on the treadmill, this is the eyeliner for you. I've slept in it before, too and woke up looking as if I just applied it. Amazeballs.
3 - Under Armour Shatter Duffel Bag * The price is a little steep, but for practicality, I was more than willing to pay. The strap is comfortable, it comes complete with a plastic lined toiletry pouch, a removable drawstring sack labeled "Stinky Stuff" for your shoes, and a heat resistant pocket for your flat iron!
4 - Nike Free Run Shoes * Choose between 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0. The lower the number, the more flexible the sole. I prefer the 3.0.
5 - The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist * Such a refreshing blast of hydration if you aren't showering before leaving the gym.
6 - Urbanears Bagis Earphones * These are so comfortable! They actually stay in my ears when running and have awesome bass to keep your pace kicking.
7 - Broken Arrow Sweaty Band * These headbands are designed to stay put on your noggin and not pop-off mid run. The best part? They come in a gazillion different patters (you can even get it customized!)
8 - Nike Icon 2-in-1 Mesh Shorts * BY FAR my most absolutely favorite running shorts. They don't ride up in undesirable places, they keep you cool and they keep you covered. Plus, they come in tons of awesome color combinations! (I have 4 pairs!)

Jen definitely put me to shame as far as time is concerned, but I'm still proud of myself for doing it and finishing without being picked up by the lagger collection golf cart and dumped at the finish line. So yay for me! My friend, Cailtin, from work, joined us. The three of us, plus some family celebrated by binging on breakfast afterwards. Item #1 checked off of our new year's resolution list!

Being at the starting line was definitely the most exhilerating. Jen has a funny story about my false start (which consisted of me yelping, jumping up in the air and taking off running while everyone stood still.) I was a little anxious...

I'm glad I did it. I did learn, however, that I just do not enjoy distance running. I like going fast.. and I can't do that if I have to pace myself. I'd rather go all-out for a short period of time and then collapse. I wonder what that says about my psyche? Interesting.

Anyone else running any 5Ks or marathons this summer? We'd love to hear about it!

MAKE: Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub

2013-05-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

So I'm obsessed with scrubs. I scrub my face twice a day, my whole body daily and my lips every other day. Skin feels amazing after it's been scrubbed... and most people don't even think to scrub their lips! I came up with this oh-so-simple recipe for lip scrub that will leave your lips feeling silky smooth and moisturized. And the best part? It's 100% edible! You can buy all these ingredients at your local market.

You can use any pure extract you choose. I have some orange extract that I think will be especially yummy in a scrub, too!

You can do things the difficult way, like me, and accidentally buy the packets of raw sugar. Oops! I also saw something called coconut sugar that looked quite granular. I think that would work pretty well for a scrub, too.

Just take all of your ingredients and mix them together... simple! Then just scrub it on your lips and either lick it off or rinse with water.

I bought this cool little jar at Crate & Barrel for only $2! I love that it seals, so this is great for gifting!

This honestly took me 5 minutes to whip up. It's so easy. And seriously, it feels incredible after you scrub! Trust me!

Check out our link party page to see where we link up each week!

CRAFT: Modern Romance Spring Centerpiece

2013-05-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I shared this project over at The Lovely Cupboard. When Heather asked us if we wanted to be the newest members of her team, I think our response to each other was , "HECK YES!" Needless to say, we are super excited for the chance to hang out with this girl on a regular basis. We think she's awesome. How could we not? I absolutely love throwing small parties in the spring and summer... using my patio in the back and my front porch. Sometimes I just can't seem to get fresh flowers to do what I want, so I made this modern, yet oh-so romantic centerpiece using silk flowers. I love that I will be able to dress up a table more than once with this!

You'll need:

A wooden box or bowl (I got mine in the bargain bin at Target for just a couple bucks)

Wood burner

Styrofoam sphere slightly larger than your box

Glue gun

Moss mat

Silk flowers - Keep in mind that you get what you pay for when it comes to silk flowers! It's good to splurge on the more expensive ones, but try to use a coupon or wait for a sale! (I got mine 50% off at Michael's!)

I chose to go with a class chevron design on my wood box. I sketched the design with a pencil first and then burned over it. I used the wood burner like a marker to fill in the triangle. This took some time and patience, but I love the way it turned out!

My box was about 5 inches wide in the center, and my sphere was 6 inches in diameter, so obviously, I needed to shave 1/2 inch from each side of the sphere. I actually just used my giant bread knife to do it. (I kinda made a royal mess, but it worked!) After that, I covered the top of the sphere with a cut of the moss mat using a glue gun.

I used a pair of needle nose pliers to poke holes through the moss and the foam so I could start sticking my flowers in it. If you mess up a hole or put one where you don't want it, no big deal... the moss covers back up nicely.

Now, just place all your flowers where you want them! I chose fluffy peonies so I wouldn't have to use as many flowers to get a full looking bouquet.

2/3 of the way through this project I decided I hated it and that it was going to be the ugliest disaster of all crafting disasters. BUT... I decided to push on and see what happened. And wouldn't you know.. I LOVE IT! I can't wait for all my flowers to start blooming now so I can throw my first spring party on the patio!

The sun was setting, but I just couldn't get over how romantic the table looked, so I decided to throw these photos in, too.

Are you planning on hosting any springtime parties this year? The parties with candles and flowers and twilight just cannot be beat. Esepcially when you add in a little champagne and sweet revenge!

Check out our link party page to see where we link up each week!

Books We Love: The Dystopian Edition + Giveaway Winner!

2013-05-03T07:37:00.000-04:00

It's Friday yins! (that's Pittsburgh-ese for "yall") The first time I shared my favorite reads for those that love The Hunger Games and Twilight, it was a big hit... Sometimes finding good books to read can be soooooo frustrating! I read a lot. I mean, A LOT. So, I figured it'd be nice of me to share with you all the awesome books I've read / am reading currently.

This round up of reads are primarily dystopian novels. These are more for a mature audience. No light, fluffiness like the last recommendations. So check em out... and share your recommendations, too!

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Guy Montag was a fireman whose job it was to start fires...

The system was simple. Everyone understood it. Books were for burning ... along with the houses in which they were hidden.

Guy Montag enjoyed his job. He had been a fireman for ten years, and he had never questioned the pleasure of the midnight runs nor the joy of watching pages consumed by flames... never questioned anything until he met a seventeen-year-old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid.

Then he met a professor who told him of a future in which people could think... and Guy Montag suddenly realized what he had to do

World War Z by Max Brooks
The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time.World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Blindness by Jose Saramago
A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" that spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and assaulting women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides her charges—among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears—through the barren streets, and their procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. As Blindness reclaims the age-old story of a plague, it evokes the vivid and trembling horrors of the twentieth century, leaving readers with a powerful vision of the human spirit that's bound both by weakness and exhilarating strength.

Dust by Joan Frances Turner
Nine years ago, Jessie had a family. Now, she has a gang.

Nine years ago, Jessie was a vegetarian. Now, she eats very fresh meat.

Nine years ago, Jessie was in a car crash and died. Nine years ago, Jessie was human.

Now, she’s not.

After she was buried, Jessie awoke and tore through the earth to arise, reborn, as a zombie. Jessie’s gang is the Fly-by-Nights. She loves the ancient, skeletal Florian and his memories of time gone by. She’s in love with Joe, a maggot-infested corpse. They fight, hunt, dance together as one—something humans can never understand. There are dark places humans have learned to avoid, lest they run into the zombie gangs.

But now, Jessie and the Fly-by-Nights have seen new creatures in the woods—things not human and not zombie. A strange new illness has flamed up out of nowhere, causing the undeads to become more alive and the living to exist on the brink of death. As bits and pieces of the truth fall around Jessie, like the flesh off her bones, she’ll have to choose between looking away or staring down the madness—and hanging onto everything she has come to know as life…

Anthem by Ayn Rand
Equality 7-2521 explains his background, society & emigration. He exclusively uses plural pronouns to refer to himself & others. The idea of the World Council is to eliminate individualism. Some were burned for saying Unspeakable Words. He recounts his early life. He was raised in Anthem, in the Home of Infants, then transferred to the Home of Students. He was born cursed. Eager to think & question, he's unwilling to give up himself to others, in violation of Anthem's principles. He excelled in math & science, dreamed of being a Scholar, but the Council of Vocations assigned the Home of Street Sweepers.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human

Zone One by Colson Whitehead
In this wry take on the post-apocalyptic horror novel, a pandemic has devastated the planet. The plague has sorted humanity into two types: the uninfected and the infected, the living and the living dead.

Now the plague is receding, and Americans are busy rebuilding civilization under orders from the provisional government based in Buffalo. Their top mission: the resettlement of Manhattan. Armed forces have successfully reclaimed the island south of Canal Street—aka Zone One—but pockets of plague-ridden squatters remain. While the army has eliminated the most dangerous of the infected, teams of civilian volunteers are tasked with clearing out a more innocuous variety—the “malfunctioning” stragglers, who exist in a catatonic state, transfixed by their former lives.

Mark Spitz is a member of one of the civilian teams working in lower Manhattan. Alternating between flashbacks of Spitz’s desperate fight for survival during the worst of the outbreak and his present narrative, the novel unfolds over three surreal days, as it depicts the mundane mission of straggler removal, the rigors of Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder, and the impossible job of coming to grips with the fallen world.

And then things start to go wrong.

Both spine chilling and playfully cerebral, Zone One brilliantly subverts the genre’s conventions and deconstructs the zombie myth for the twenty-first century.

And now, ladies and gentleman, we have a winner! On Monday we announced an awesome giveaway by our sponsor, Southern Fabric, $25 toward their online store. Let's see who the lucky duck is that gets to spend the cash!

***Lucy from Charm About You***

Congratulations! Be on the lookout for an email from us!!

We also want to say thank you and welcome to our new readers! We are so excited to have you be a part of this crazy blog of ours!

Have a fabulous weekend, friends! Go buy some fabric & books!!

CRAFT: Artsy Mini Tote

2013-05-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

**Have you entered our giveaway to win $25 toward fabric from Southern Fabric? Go HERE to enter!**
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I have another fun Mother's Day/teacher gift for you today that's SO simple and endlessly customizable! If you read my previous project for The Little Things Purse, I'm not into big, bulky purses. In fact, I carried my wallet, phone, and other essentials around with me in my pockets until just a few years ago - it wasn't pretty. I broke down and gave into the fact that purses are not only essential for carrying valuables, they're really pretty too!

This mini tote is made of canvas and leather and is unlined (but it could be lined easily.) By using transfer paper and pictures of some famous masterpieces, I was able to take this bag from blah to beautiful! I made 2 - one for my mom and another for my mother-in-law - and now I'm really wishing I would've made one for myself (didn't I learn anything from our Made It for Me series??)

Grab some supplies and make some for your mom, grandmother, mother-in-law or treat yourself to a new bag!

SUPPLIES: fabric transfer paper (I used Transfer Magic, which I found in Hobby Lobby I think?), two 9x11.5in pieces of canvas fabric or other heavy fabric, two 17x1in strips of 5-7oz leather + scraps, printer, sewing machine and heavy duty needle, pinking shears.

Preparation:

ONE: first, cut out your pieces. You'll need to cut out 2 straps for your leather measuring 1 inch wide by 17 inches long. Also cut out 4 small pieces of leather big enough to cover the raw edges of your straps.
TWO: find images of famous masterpieces online that you like (Google is good for this!) I chose 2 paintings by Monet: "Woman with the Parasol" and "Water Lilies." Use paint, Photoshop, or a similar photo editing program to make your images 8.5 inches across by 11 inches wide (the size of a standard sheet of paper.) Make sure to mirror your image so when you transfer them to your canvas they won't be backwards (I forgot to do this with the "Woman with the Parasol" image above. Follow the instructions on your transfer paper to iron them onto your canvas, leaving 1/2 inch borders around the edges for seam allowance.

Assembling Your Bag:

ONE: first, fold your long leather strips in half wrong sides together (wst) and finger press down the middle.
TWO: measure one inch down (this is where you will begin sewing.)
THREE: make sure you switch to a heavy duty needle for your leather straps, and sew down the bottom edge of your straps (wst), stopping 1 inch before the end. Repeat for second strap.
FOUR: measure over approximately 1 inch down and 1 inch from the side of your purse and mark. Place the raw edge of your leather strap to the front of your bag according to your measurement, and stitch down to secure.
FIVE: here is how your bag should look so far with your straps sewn to the front.
SIX: repeat steps 4 and 5 to attach your second handle to the back panel of your bag.
SEVEN: now to hem the top of your bag, fold down 1/4 inch, then fold down another 1/4 inch and pin. Do not iron! This will melt your image.) Using a regular needle and thread, sew across the top to hem. Repeat to hem the top of the back panel.
EIGHT: switch back to your heavy duty needle and place your small leather scraps over the raw edge of each of your strap ends. Sew all the way around to secure.
NINE: place the front and back panels of your purse right sides together and sew the sides and bottom. Clip corners and use pinking shears to cut excess fabric around the sides and bottom, then turn inside out.

Admire your beautiful mini tote bag! I think the Water Lilies is my favorite; I just love all the beautiful colors (and hopefully my mother-in-law does too :)

The bag is perfect for carrying your essentials, as well as a few extra things. And, coincidentally, the bag is the perfect size for toting around an iPad or small laptop (just make sure to line and pad it and add a snap.)

I hope your loved ones like their new bags too :) If you make one, I'd love to see a picture!

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

CRAFT: Faux Stamped Necklaces (Using Vinyl)

2013-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

**Have you entered our giveaway to win $25 toward fabric from Southern Fabric? Go HERE to enter!**
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When my daughter was born, I wanted to buy a cute personalized necklace to celebrate her birth. I loved all the stamped necklaces out there, but I felt like I could probably make something similar for less. The problem was, I don't own a metal stamping kit (although it's still on my list of wants!) Instead, I broke out my Silhouette Cameo and vinyl and came up with these cute faux stamped pendants!

These necklaces have the look of the expensive stamped jewelry, but they can be personalized however you want - and they make a great Mother's Day gift! (Think about how special it would be to give Grandma a personalized necklace with the names of her grandchildren on it.) You need a craft cutter (like the Cameo or Silhouette), a few jewelry findings and other supplies but believe me, it's worth it. This project is a go-to gift for grandparents, first time parents and everyone in between.

SUPPLIES: 2 sizes of washers found at any hardware store: 1 fender washer 1/4x1inch, 1 flat washer 1/2 cpack (these were the names and dimensions of the ones at my hardware store, but you can use whatever size you prefer), round nose pliers, wire cutters (not shown), Silhouette or Cameo craft cutter, black adhesive vinyl and transfer paper, thin chain (the smaller the better), findings: jump ring, head pins, and closure, crystals, Diamond Glaze.

Before You Begin:
First, you'll need to measure your washers to determine how big your wording needs to be. Open the Silhouette Studio, and create 2 circles slightly smaller than the size of your washers.

ONE: choose the type tool and type out the names that you want on your pendants (names of the parents or grandparents will go on the large washer and the names of the children on the small washer.) Stick to a simple font and type in caps for ease of cutting (I used Arial.) Also, you can use a small heart shape to separate the names of the children like I did.
TWO: as you type, you'll see a little circle with a plus in it to the left of the text (see picture above.) Click on the circle and drag the wording into the circle. The text will conform to the shape of the circle.
THREE: repeat for larger circle.

Creating Your Vinyl Wording:

ONE: use your Silhouette to cut out your wording on the black vinyl.
TWO: place your transfer paper on top of your black vinyl and press well. Peel your transfer paper upward to lift your letters. Note: you could peel up the vinyl to expose the letters first, but I found this method to be easier since the letters are so tiny and they tend to stick to the vinyl when peeled.
THREE: after you've transferred your wording to the transfer paper, use tweezers or your hook tool to weed out any small pieces of vinyl in your lettering.
FOUR: very carefully place your transfer paper on top of your washer (make sure they're clean first!) and press down evenly. Remove your transfer paper to see your transferred wording. If needed, you can use tweezers to adjust your letters some if they're a little wonky.
FIVE: seal your pendant with a coat of Diamond Glaze. Outline the washer on the outside and inside hole, then fill in with additional glaze. If there are any bubbles, put a lighter close to the surface of the glaze and they will pop. Let dry according to the directions on the bottle.
SIX: after your washers have dried, measure out the length you want your necklace to be and cut your chain to length. Stack your smaller washer on top of the larger one, then fold your chain in half and insert the loop through your washers as shown above. Lace the tails through the loop, then attach your closure at the ends of your chain.

Making Your Charms:
The charms are optional, but they add an extra special detail to the necklace by indicating the gender of the children on the pendants. Plus, they add a little bling :)

ONE: insert a crystal onto a head pin.
TWO: grasp the head pin a few millimeters above your crystal and make a loop by wrapping the wire around the side of your round nose pliers. Use your fingers to wrap the tail of the wire several times around your charm. Clip excess with your wire cutters, and attach to your necklace with a medium jump ring.

And now you have a beautiful, personalized necklace! This one below was made to celebrate the birth of my brother's first baby.

And of course I had to make one for myself. Now I have the special necklace that I've always wanted to celebrate my children! I've already made several of these for friends and family and they love them.

Have fun making one for your mother (or yourself!)
P.S. Thanks to the folks at the Silhouette blog for previewing this project!

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!